Yes, I know it’s a bit overdue, but we’ve now got some groundrules for posting. Most of them are just common sense and good manners. I’m no totalitarian overlord (as yet, anyway), but do try and follow them.
- Criticise constructively. While I encourage comments about other people’s work, don’t be a crabbypants about it. If you don’t like a story, say why; tell the writer how he or she could improve it, instead of just being a big meany.
- Write often! Otherwise the site has no point to it.
- Use proper English, or as proper as you can. Not everyone speaks English as a first language. Reading “omg i av nvr luvd u soooo much!±1″ is much harder than “Oh my God, I have never loved you so much!” for a non-native speaker. This isn’t a text message, an instant messenger or a chatroom, it’s an exercise in creativity and mastery of the English language. Plus, I hate it.
- Keep swearing to a minimum. I have no objection to the odd f-word every now and again, as long as it’s natural (not just thrown in for good measure). If you have more than one instance of “vulgar” language, please add “Warning: profanity” to the top of your post. Keep swearing out of the first couple of sentences, please, so people don’t read “Warning: profanity” immediately followed by “sh*itb**bs”. I don’t mind you starring things out, just please apply common sense.
- Be patient. The first time you post, your comment/story is held back until I tell the site you’re not a spammer. Sometimes I’ll do in a minute, sometimes a day. I have a life, too.
- Keep it fiction(ish). If your friend Kayleigh annoys you, don’t write a story named “Kayleigh is a Cowbag”. It’s rude. By all means write about your life, but disguise it in such a way that your boss/mother/friend won’t read it and know it’s them. Again, apply common sense.
I’m not going to be really anal about them, other than the last one. Really, don’t name and shame people. If you need to vent, writing is a good way of doing so, but here is not the place.
